ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration, as the lead federal agency, have initiated a study to evaluate alternatives to improve traffic operations on Interstate 17 (I-17) within the City of Phoenix. I-17 (Black Canyon Freeway) is Arizona’s primary north-south highway and serves as a connection to Interstate 10 and Interstate 40, two of the nation’s vital east-west highways. I-17 also links Phoenix with Flagstaff and numerous other communities in central and northern Arizona, including Prescott, Camp Verde, Cottonwood, and Sedona.
Study Area Map 
Note: ADOT and FHWA reduced the original study area from 1/2-mile east and west of I-17 to 1/4-mile east and west of I-17 from Loop 101 to Maricopa Traffic Interchange because of public comments received at the scoping meetings. |
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Study Description: I-17, the first interstate highway to be built through the Valley, currently forms the north-south backbone of the Maricopa Association of Governments’ regional freeway system. I-17 carries a steady stream of traffic through the urban core from its origin at the I-10 Maricopa Interchange in south-central Phoenix, through the I-10 Stack interchange, to the Loop 101 interchange in north Phoenix. I-17 currently has three general purpose lanes in each direction, a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane in each direction between the Stack interchange and Loop 101, and auxiliary (merge) lanes in some areas of the corridor.
Study Update: The Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register on January 6, 2010. In February 2010, ADOT and FHWA hosted three scoping meetings as an opportunity for community members to participate in the study process. Scoping is the first step in the study process and is intended to inform and involve the public, agencies, and special interest groups. The scoping meetings marked the beginning of ADOT’s public outreach program that will continue throughout the study. Public comments regarding the I-17 Study are currently being accepted and can be submitted via email at ADOT@hdrinc.com.
Current Study Activity
ADOT is currently developing alternatives for the I-17 Draft EIS, in addition to completing environmental studies that will evaluate:
- Air quality
- Biological resources
- Cultural resources
- Environmental justice (low income and minority populations)
- Hazardous materials
- Land use
- Neighborhood considerations
- Noise
- Section 4(f) properties (parks/recreational areas, historic properties)
- Secondary and cumulative impacts
- Socioeconomic considerations
- Visual resources
- Water resources
Throughout the alternatives development and environmental study phase, ADOT will continue to coordinate with the public and agencies by providing updates to the study and accepting study-related comments and input.
While it is too early in the process to determine if any additional right of way will be needed for the proposed improvements along I-17, ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration have standard right of way acquisition procedures in place. More information about right of way acquisition is available on the following web sites:
http://www.azdot.gov/Highways/ROW/index.asp
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/realestate/ua/ |
Study Development Timeline
Study Process
In November 2004, Maricopa County voters approved a 20-year extension of a half-cent sales tax until December 31, 2025, to fund a comprehensive package of transportation improvements as part of the Regional Transportation Plan Funding for the plan, which includes $9 billion in regional freeway improvements in Maricopa County, became effective January 1, 2006.
Responding to federal transportation planning requirements, the RTP is being extended through 2031 by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) to maintain a 20-year planning horizon. As a result, a fifth phase has been added to the RTP, covering the period from 2026 through 2031.
In fall 2009, due to declining sales tax revenues and decreases in other transportation revenue sources to fund improvements, MAG recommended that some future projects be deferred to Phase V of the plan. As part of the planning process, project costs and funding levels are continuously monitored, and the RTP is periodically updated to take advantage of cost savings or changes in the transportation revenue outlook. This can result in the acceleration of projects that were formerly deferred. For more information about RTP projects deferred to Phase V in the MAG tentative scenario, please visit the MAG Web site.
This study, as well as current I-17 projects under construction, is funded with the half-cent sales tax under the voter-approved
Proposition
400. (file
size: 3.6MB)
Documents are posted as they become available in PDF format, which
requires Adobe
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Our Valley Freeway System is part of the 2004 voter-approved Regional Transportation Plan. We are working hard with our transit partners to implement the voters’ vision and are committed to quality, safety, open communication with our neighbors, and minimal inconvenience to the traveling public. |
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